Tractors and Bricks in Njongon
April 03 2009
A New Tractor and Brick Making in Njongon village
Another eventful trip to the Gambia with terrific results.
On arrival we were asked to consider purchasing a new tractor and to delay the solar panels needed too later in the year for the water project because the Gambians felt they could make money almost immediately with the tractor.1) It would be very helpful to move the brick making forward by providing a delivery service 2) It would greatly reduce time getting raw material (basically earth) to the brick making site. 3).Much larger tracts of land could be cultivated. 4) A delivery and ploughing / harrowing service could be offered to adjoining villages.
The Indian Government are supplying Aid in the form of tractors at a budget price to help the villages. $18,000.00 US dollars but payment is split over 18 months which we considered to be a very good deal and best use of our limited funds at present.
The tractor, a Mahindra model 585, (Mahindra is the 3rd largest tractor company in the world, making well over 100,000 per year in India). It comes with a 5 ton trailer, a 3 disc plough and 7 disc harrow. It was delivered before we left and there was great excitement & thanksgiving.
We paid the deposit on the water storage tank and it will be ready in 3 to 4 months, and the bore hole is paid for and is being completed shortly. This will give the brick making activity and the tractor time to be start bringing in money which will contribute to the final payments on the water tank.
We then need to find the funds for the solar panels & water distribution ( about 34,000 sterling) to complete the Njongon water project this year.
We are satisfied that on completion of this water project Njongon will be very self sufficient and we can move onto the 3rd village in 2010.
The contract for the maintenance of the water system has been agreed and signed even before the job is completed, which shows Njongon’s commitment to looking after the facility and maintaining funds to do so.
The garden in Njongon is doing really well: the growth since it started in December is fantastic and the ladies have set up a bank account with funds being collected monthly to maintain the fencing and the wells .We supplied new ropes and buckets and seeds which are being collectively looked after by the Garden Committee. They hope to have 2 or even 3 crops this year and are widening the variety of seeds each time.
The introduction of bees has been successful with the bees arriving into two of the hives even before the training has been completed. We have put 20 hives into a natural habitat beside the Training Centre and they have a group of 4 villagers looking after them and collecting the honey and using the beeswax as waterproofing for the bricks.
Thanks to all of you who have made all this possible by your donations. Here are some pictures showing our new tractor and our first bricks coming off production. The garden in Njongon before irrigation and after 8 weels were added and 3 months growth. Plus the beehives being delivered to Njongon..
